Nigerian Lawmakers Visit Peach County

Nigerian officials from the Cross River State Legislaturevisited Fort Valley State University Thursday for lessons in American farming.

The group is checking out how different areas in the U.S. handle agriculture to improve their own production.

Speaker of Nigeria's Cross River State legislature, Larry Odey, saidhis country relies on oil as their main export, but wants to boost agriculture. Right now they offer farmers loans, but not grants like here in the US. Odey wants that to change.

"We believethat way, farmers will be more encouraged because they are not having to collect on their payback, but rather how they can apply them, to achieve some level of improvement in their farm enterprise," he said.

The products of the Cross River State include cocoa, cassava and plantain. The group will visit the US forfive more days, visiting Maryland, Virginia, and DC.